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VOORHEES, N.J. – Craig Berube wanted to get more ice time for the player to whom the Flyers made a five-year, $22.5 million commitment last offseason.

Few would have thought that when that contract was signed, Vinny Lecavalier would be a fourth-line center in the playoffs. If you're looking for the former Stanley Cup champion to complain, don't hold your breath.

"Of course I want to be out there and produce and do things," Lecavalier said. "I believe in myself. Any time I go on the ice, I'll try to do my best."

Recently, that's been with Adam Hall and Zac Rinaldo on the fourth line. For a lot of the third period Sunday against the Rangers, he was with the linemates he began the year with: Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds.

"I thought he played a real good third period for us," said Berube, whose team hosts the Rangers on Tuesday in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference playoff series. "I had him up there with Schenn and Simmonds, and he did a real good job on the power play."

Lecavalier took a shot from the point Sunday, allowing a rebound for Jason Akeson to tie the game. The veteran of 15 seasons, who turned 34 Monday, was calling for the puck. He saw an opening and wanted to get the puck on net, where he knew a couple teammates would have a good shot at helping beat Henrik Lundqvist on the power play.

Plays like that in the postseason are meaningful, especially from guys in a depth role like Lecavalier seems to be in these days. When he won the Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning 10 years ago, that team had depth, too. He just happened to be higher on the depth chart.

"You look at every team that's won the past 10 years, of course," Lecavalier said. "You do need depth, and I think we do have it. I think our goalie's playing great. Our four lines, everyone is playing really good. It pays off. We have to keep playing the way we are."

Lecavalier, however, isn't a traditional fourth-line player. He was sent there as a demotion to get him fired up. He scored a goal that first game, then two in the next.

Now Berube is having a tough time taking him out of that role, because he's made it work and Schenn has played well at center. After a November back injury, Lecavalier returned to play the wing for the first time in his career. When he was put on the fourth line, he was back in the middle, where he wants to be.

"Obviously he's a tremendous player," Hall said. "He has the ability to create offense. The more we can control the puck and create offense, [the] less time we'll spend in our own zone and the tougher it is for the other team."

In 65 career playoff games, Lecavalier has 53 points. The Flyers are hoping he can produce more offense from a line that wouldn't otherwise be expected to bring much scoring.

"They're a good team over there no matter who they have on the ice," Hall said. "No matter who's on the ice for us we know we have to battle every single shift and do the job."

So far, Lecavalier has one assist in the series. With the resiliency of the Flyers this season, him producing more as it progresses shouldn't surprise many people.

"We had a bad start, and after that we just kept plugging away and plugging away and kept fighting," Lecavalier said. "There's so much character in the room. Now it's 1-1, we're back in our building and have to take advantage of it."